New England Patriots Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Details On Cam Newton's Pats Contract

July 1st, 2020 at 5:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Most of Cam Newton‘s 2020 earning potential will be through incentives. As for base salary, the Patriots landed a former MVP for the league minimum. Newton will earn just $1.05MM in 2020 base salary, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports (on Twitter). The Pats entered the week with the least cap space in the NFL. New England guaranteed Newton just $550K, which is notable given the veteran passer’s injury issues in recent years. Newton underwent foot surgery in December and has rehabbed that Lisfranc issue for several months. The 31-year-old standout can collect $6.45MM through incentives and pre-game roster bonuses, La Canfora adds. The contract does not prevent the Pats from franchise-tagging Newton next year.

Despite the Patriots waiting until late June to add their likely starting quarterback, their QB situation now looks better than the Redskins‘. Ron Rivera discussed a Newton deal earlier this offseason but said this week the fit was not right in Washington. “If the circumstances had allowed us, I would not have had an issue with that,” Rivera said during an interview with 670 The Score (via NBC Sports Washington). “I would’ve been very confident and comfortable going after him and bringing him to be part of what we’re doing here.” The Redskins are set to enter training camp with Dwayne Haskins and Kyle Allen as their top healthy QBs, though Alex Smith remains on the roster.

Latest On Patriots, Cam Newton

June 30th, 2020 at 4:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Patriots added Cam Newton in between their virtual offseason and the scheduled start of training camp. Newton’s asking price appears to have moved the needle between the parties.

New England did not express much interest in Newton earlier this offseason, when the franchise explored a deal, but Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes that changed when the former MVP lowered his demands (subscription required). A report even surfaced indicating Patriots OC Josh McDaniels was lukewarm on the passer when he interviewed for the Carolina HC job. But Newton is now New England-bound and primed for his second act.

It is unclear what Newton wanted earlier this offseason, but he was not closely connected to many teams. He ended up signing an incentive-laden deal that will max out at just $7.5MM. He was set to earn more than $19MM in the final year of his previous contract with the Panthers. With Newton’s money not yet on the Pats’ payroll, they hold the least amount of cap space in the NFL at less than $1.5MM. They have not made any plans to accommodate Newton’s deal yet, per Howe. Restructures could well occur in the near future.

Bill Belichick called around on Newton prior to the move, with Albert Breer of SI.com noting that ex-Panthers OC Norv Turner received a call. That prompted Turner to predict a few days ago that Newton would end up in New England.

While Newton not starting in Week 1 would be shocking — should he be healthy at that point — Howe notes the Pats did not guarantee him their QB1 gig. Given the organization’s “do your job” mantra, and Newton’s struggles with injuries over the past three years, that is not surprising. Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer represent Newton’s primary competition, and while Howe adds that Stidham’s work in the virtual offseason did not contribute to the Pats signing Newton, it would be difficult to envision a reality that features a healthy Newton not opening the season as New England’s trigger man. The Pats giving Stidham a cozy path to the job would have pointed to the team being comfortable with a transition year, and Breer adds that Belichick had no intention of “punting on this season.”

Cam Newton’s Patriots Deal Does Not Prevent 2021 Franchise Tag

June 30th, 2020 at 2:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Were the Patriots to see a rejuvenated Cam Newton this season, they will not only have exclusive negotiating rights regarding an extension. They can keep the quarterback via the franchise tag, with Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweeting Newton’s contract will not prevent the Pats from tagging him in 2021.

Newton signed a one-year, incentive-laden deal that could max out at just $7.5MM. The non-exclusive franchise tag for quarterbacks came in at $26.8MM this year. This season will certainly be a high-stakes slate for Newton’s future, but the Patriots having the ability to keep him around without an extension agreement is also notable.

The Patriots were the only team to offer the former MVP a contract. Newton has undergone three surgeries since the beginning of the 2017 offseason — two shoulder procedures and the most recent foot operation — and has missed 16 of the past 18 games. And, excepting the first half of the 2018 season, Newton has struggled since Super Bowl 50. His cumulative QBR since the start of the 2016 season ranks 30th, so a Patriots future beyond 2020 cannot yet be considered a certainty.

But he should be on track to be the Pats’ Week 1 starter, giving him a chance to immediately revive his stock — something Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston are not expected to have, given their agreements to be backup quarterbacks this season. Dalton, Winston, Newton and Philip Rivers agreed to one-year deals, which could set up another rare buyer’s-market scenario at quarterback.

New England was prohibited from tagging Tom Brady this year, after the future Hall of Famer negotiated a deal that allowed him to leave in free agency without that bridge to cross. The Pats have gone year-to-year at quarterback for a bit now, with Brady not landing the extension he sought late in his 20-year New England run. Newton will need to answer some questions before the tag becomes an option, but this scenario will be on the table should the ex-Panthers centerpiece return to form.

AFC East Notes: Newton, Tua, Fins, Bills

June 29th, 2020 at 3:03pm CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots made a big splash last night when they signed former league MVP Cam Newton to a one-year contract. The assumption is that Newton will be the team’s starting signal-caller, but Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network says the Pats made no promises in that regard. Still, while there is technically an open competition between Newton and second-year pro Jarrett Stidham, it would be stunning if Newton did not win the job (video link). Garafolo also points out that Newton still has to pass a physical, but the Patriots are confident he will do so.

Garafolo also passes along a fun fact (via Twitter): New England is the third team in NFL history to lose one MVP and sign another in the same offseason. The 2000 Dolphins parted ways with Dan Marino and brought in Thurman Thomas, and the 2005 Cardinals bid farewell to Emmitt Smith and signed Kurt Warner.

Now for more from the AFC East:

The Dolphins drafted Tua Tagovailoa with the belief that he will be the franchise signal-caller the team has been seeking for the past 20 years. He may not start right away, but Albert Breer of SI.com believes the southpaw will be put into the starting lineup at some point this season. While the 2020 Dolphins should be an improved squad over last year’s iteration, Miami is still probably at least a year away from playoff contention, so the team will have no reason to keep Tagovailoa on the sidelines for the entire campaign.
Miami is set at the LG and C spots with Ereck Flowers and Ted Karras, respectively. Beyond that, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says the Dolphins are still undecided as to whether second-round rookie Robert Hunt would be a better fit at RG or RT in 2020. If Hunt gets a shot at RT and performs well, that could bump 2019 starter Jesse Davis back to the interior or to the bench. Meanwhile, Michael Deiter will compete for the starting RG and backup C slots.
In the same piece linked above, Jackson notes that the Dolphins are working out WR Gary Jennings in the slot — where he thrived in college — and on the outside. Jennings was a fourth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2019, but Seattle waived him in November and Miami scooped him up. He played in just one game for the ‘Fins before getting hurt, but his draft pedigree and upside will give him a good chance to make the club as the fifth or sixth WR.
In a minor trade last summer, the Bills acquired OL Ryan Bates from the Eagles in exchange for DE Eli Harold. Philadelphia subsequently cut Harold, but Buffalo hung on to Bates, who was active for nine games. Per Adam Caplan of InsideTheBirds.com, the Bills view Bates, a 2019 UDFA, as a viable right tackle, guard, and center, so they expect him to be a key backup in 2020 who may take on a bigger role down the road.
Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic, meanwhile, views Bates as a potential trade candidate. Buscaglia also looks at a few other players that the Bills could put on the trade market, a list headed by WR Robert Foster and TE Jason Croom.

Patriots Were Cam Newton’s Only Offer

June 29th, 2020 at 12:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots represented Cam Newton‘s one and only contract offer, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The Browns also showed recent interest, Schefter hears, but they did not put a deal on the table.

Several clubs were connected to Newton, but his free agency dragged on far longer than anyone expected. Now, we know why. Previously, we heard that the Chargers considered him, and Newton’s former head coach Ron Rivera at least thought about bringing him to the Redskins. Still, neither club presented a deal to Newton and his talks with the Browns “never really went anywhere,” per Schefter.

All along, Newton has been seeking an opportunity to start – ideally, with a contender. He found the perfect match in the Patriots, who were previously set to weigh the likes of Brian Hoyer and youngster Jarrett Stidham. With the Browns, Newton would have been entrenched as the QB2 behind Baker Mayfield, and that probably didn’t hold much appeal for him anyway.

With that lack of interest, the Patriots were able to land Newton for an absolute bargain. He can earn up to $7.5MM in 2020 through incentives, but his base salary is much, much lower.

Reactions To Cam Newton Signing With Patriots

June 29th, 2020 at 9:42am CST by Zachary Links

On Sunday, the Patriots found themselves a new quarterback. Former NFL MVP Cam Newton is coming to town, and he came to the Patriots on what appears to be a bargain deal. Newton’s contract can pay up to $7.5MM, but the pact comes with a low base salary and little in the way of locked-in money.

Technically speaking, Newton is one of five quarterbacks on the Patriots’ roster. However, he’s got the most impressive resume by a longshot, and he figures to be a monumental upgrade over Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham, if he’s healthy.

Here’s what they’re saying about the Patriots’ newest QB:

Ultimately, Newton and the Patriots were the perfect match, Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com writes. The Pats were left thread-bare at quarterback after Tom Brady‘s departure and they represented Newton’s best chance at starting right out of the gate for a contender. For the Pats, he says it’s a no-risk deal – in a worst-case scenario, Newton gets injured early on and takes snaps away from Stidham. On the flipside, there’s the dream scenario in which Newton gets back to his old form and sticks around – the Pats are projected to have $86MM+ in cap space next year, should they want to re-sign him. With all of that said, Barnwell wonders whether the Patriots timed the signing to take some of the bad PR out of their other Sunday news story.
Speaking of the Patriots’ penalty, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes the hidden value in the Newton deal. If Newton plays well in 2020 and leaves as a free agent, the Patriots could gain a compensatory 2022 third-round pick to help offset the 2021 third-round pick that was stripped.
Jets safety Jamal Adams is also pleased with the deal, even though he’s under contract with the Patriots’ rival. “I salute Coach Bill Belichick for that!,” Adams tweeted. “That’s real. Congratulations Cam!” Adams, of course, is looking to force a trade to one of his preferred teams.
“I’m excited as I don’t know what right now!,” Newton wrote on Instagram.

Patriots To Sign Cam Newton

June 28th, 2020 at 7:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots have agreed to sign Cam Newton, according to Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal that could be worth as much as $7.5MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) adds. The base portion is believed to be much lower, however, and Newton likely didn’t receive much in the way of guarantees.

Newton, 31, will join Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer on the Patriots’ depth chart. Naturally, he’ll be the odds-on favorite to come away with the starting job.

The Patriots checked in with Newton during the early stages of free agency, right around the time Tom Brady took off for Tampa Bay. However, at the time, Newton was seeking a deal that was more in line with his previous earnings. Thanks to injuries, the former MVP had to stay patient and slash his asking place before finding his home in New England.

The 2015 NFL MVP and three-time Pro Bowler has struggled in recent years. Since 2016, he’s ranked 30th in Total QBR while spending large chunks of time on the sidelines. But he remains a high-end talent and a very intriguing addition to the Pats’ offense in the post-Brady era.

Newton was limited to only two games in 2019, but he did make 14 starts in 2018. In that year, he completed a career-best 67.9% of his throws for 3,395 yards, 24 TDs, and 13 picks. He also showed that he can still make plays with his feet – he tallied 488 rushing yards and four scores on 101 carries. For his career, Newton has amassed a 68-55-1 record as the Panthers’ starting quarterback. That record includes a perfect 2-0 mark against his new team.

After replacing Newton with Teddy Bridgewater, the Panthers tried to trade their longtime star to the Bears and Chargers. Those deals did not come together – the Bears went on to trade for Nick Foles instead while the Chargers waited ’til April to tap Justin Herbert as their new QB addition. With no takers, the Panthers dropped Newton to save $19MM+ in cap room versus $2MM in dead money.

Now, Newton has a prime opportunity to show the world what he can do. Even after his 2018 shoulder relapse and last year’s Lisfranc surgery, Newton still believes that he can play at a high level. For what it’s worth, he’s now six months removed from his December foot surgery and he’ll more or less enter camp with fresh legs.

With Newton, plus a mix of familiar and new faces, the Patriots’ offense is starting to look pretty formidable. Newton will be working with Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead in the backfield while targeting a receiver group headlined by Julian Edelman, Mohamed Sanu, and N’Keal Harry. The biggest question mark, perhaps, remains at tight end, where they’ll be largely dependent on rookies Dalton Keene and Devin Asiasi.

Patriots Stripped Of Third-Round Pick By NFL

June 28th, 2020 at 7:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL has rendered its verdict on the Patriots’ filming of a Bengals-Browns game late last year. The results aren’t pretty for the Pats – they’ll be fined $1.1MM and stripped of a 2021 third-round pick, according to Mike Reiss and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Furthermore, Pats TV crews will be barred from filming games during the upcoming season.

The Pats’ crew set up shop in the press box and filmed the Bengals’ sideline during their Week 14 game. A Bengals staffer took notice, turned the camera on the Pats’ crew, and turned over an eight-minute tape to the league office.

The Patriots said they were filming an episode of their online series “Do Your Job” and simply gathering b-roll for the next episode. The Patriots also acknowledged that they should have done a better job advising the crew of league protocol and communicating with the Bengals beforehand. Still, teams are prohibited from shooting video of coaches on the sideline and the NFL took the Patriots’ “Spygate” history into consideration.

East Notes: Cowboys, Prescott, Patriots, Sanu

June 24th, 2020 at 12:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Dak Prescott is discussing a long-term deal with the Cowboys, but the patient approach could also pay off for the quarterback. As Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes, Kirk Cousins is in great shape after playing on back-to-back franchise tags with his former club. From 2018-2022, Cousins’ $150MM cash value ranks second overall in the NFL, behind only Aaron Rodgers ($150.95MM). Meanwhile, he tops the chart with his guarantees ($150MM, 100% locked in).

That fact isn’t lost on Prescott, who has rejected offers from the Cowboys in the past. His camp is currently seeking a four-year deal that would make him the league’s highest-paid player on an annual basis with upwards of $35MM per year. The Cowboys, meanwhile, are pushing for a five-year pact.

Here’s more from the East divisions (and, by that, we mean some Pats items):

Mohamed Sanu is “way ahead” of the curve as he returns from ankle surgery, trainer Hilton Alexander tells Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. “I would tell you he’s probably faster, quicker, leaner and in better shape now than prior to the surgery,” Alexander said. “I would say he’s way ahead of any doctor’s knowledge or prediction where he would have been at this point. Way ahead of the curve.” With a healthy Sanu – plus Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, and a solid supporting cast – the Pats can stand pat at WR.
If the NFL salary cap is reduced next year due to a revenue decrease, it could work to the Patriots‘ advantage. As Tom Curran of NBC Sports explains, the Pats currently have $124MM committed to 55 players in 2021. If the cap falls from $198MM, most teams will be left scrambling to shed expensive contracts. The Patriots, on the other hand, would be in good shape and able to scoop up those available vets.
Jamal Adams wants out, but it remains to be seen whether the Jets will trade him. In a recent poll, PFR readers were split on whether Adams will stay or go.

Extra Points: Patriots, Jets, Carson

June 22nd, 2020 at 6:53pm CST by Ben Levine

Denard Robinson is back in the NFL, this time as a coach. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the Jaguars have hired Robinson as an offensive quality control coach.

Following a standout career as Michigan’s quarterback, Robinson was selected by the Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2013 draft. The organization ended up transitioning him into a running back, and he ultimately spent four seasons with Jacksonville. His best season came in 2014, when he had 706 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns.

The 29-year-old spent the 2019 season as an offensive analyst for the Jacksonville University football team.

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…

While the Patriots would presumably like to sign Joe Thuney to an extension, ESPN’s Mike Reiss opines that the offensive lineman will end up playing next season on the franchise tag. As Reiss explains, Thuney has the leverage in negotiations, as he should be more-than-satisfied with his current one-year, $14.78MM deal. The reporter could see a scenario where the lineman signs a two-year deal that would buy the Patriots a bit of cap space for 2020, and Reiss believes that’s more realistic than Thuney getting traded or signing a long-term pact.
While Jamal Adams may already be saying farewell to some of his teammates, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport believes the Jets will “stand pat” and let the situation play out (Twitter link). The safety has two years remaining on his contract, and that’s part of the reason why New York hadn’t felt any urgency in signing the former first-rounder to an extension.
Seahawks running back Chris Carson has signed with Octagon Football for representation, tweets Liz Mullen of Sports Business Daily. “From our perspective, he’s an elite running back in this league,” said agent Casey Muir. After averaging 1,190 rushing yards and eight touchdowns between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Carson is set to hit free agency following the 2020 campaign.

New England Patriots News & Rumors